Comments on: A Local Protest

By: jabel

jabel — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:29:52 +0000

They better watch the Fuck the Police chant.Since NWA has a song of that name from the mid 80′s they might sue the protestors for unauthorised use of”Lyrics”Insert rolling eyes emoticon here.

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:28:55 +0000

Ah, humanity!

By: dc

dc — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:59:47 +0000

Something very odd? That’s an understatement. It looks pretty clear to me from the video that it was some kind of horrible accident — the cop’s body language after the shot just doesn’t seem consistent with an intentional shooting (not to mention the fact that even a psychopathic, homicidal officer would probably not execute an unarmed man in front of a trainload of angry citizens with cell phone cameras).

The cop hasn’t said he thought he drew his taser — so far that’s only been speculation. The only reason the taser theory makes some sense to me is that (as you say) he had no reason to draw his gun in the first place. Anyway, whether he meant to use his taser, or he didn’t realize how sensitive the triggers on Glocks are (another suggestion I’ve heard) or he just “lost it” and shot the guy intentionally in some kind of panic, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the first time that young officer has ever drawn his weapon, never mind actually discharged it. I think he’d only been on the force for two years, and I don’t think BART police have occasion to draw their weapons as often as SFPD or OPD might.

Either way, the young guy is still dead.

By: avoice

avoice — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:54:29 +0000

There was something very odd about that shooting. It didn’t make sense. I have seen a couple of the videos posted that show it. Either it was an accident of some sort–I have discharged a weapon by mistake myself–or it was an execution. I don’t see why the weapon was drawn in the first place. I see some kind of voluntary manslaughter here but not murder. I wasn’t premeditated and it wasn’t even done in the heat of passion or excitement like a murder 2. Unless there’s something going on the videos don’t show, I can’t buy the taser story either, the one where the cop says he thought he was drawn his taser nd not his gun.

By: ng

ng — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 04:42:09 +0000

Thanks to you — I didn’t know he was one of the youth commentators. And that photo is dramatically sad.

By: dc

dc — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 03:12:01 +0000

Thanks -- I just listened to what I think is the essay you mention (audio can be found here). The contrast between the joyous street celebrations here after Obama's victory and the depressing street violence after this depressing police violence have been remarked on a lot in the past few days. This photo taken by an Oakland photographer on the night of the rioting is a propos.

By: ng

ng — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:29:33 +0000

NPR had a long essay this afternoon by an African-American resident of Oakland bemoaning the reactions to the shooting, which he also bemoaned, and contrasting the election night elation in Oakland with these latest disappointing occurrences in the city. He wanted to share the excitement of the election but hide from these latest events.